Warriors' Jimmy Butler is sending himself down to the G League for a game

Jimmy Butler III of the Golden State Warriors practices during half time of the Warriors game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center on Oct. 23, 2026, in San Francisco. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler says his first game back from his torn ACL will be in the G League.Butler tore his ACL on Jan. 19 and faced a year-long recovery process, but has been ramping up his activity in recent weeks. In an interview with the Athletic's Nick Friedell, Butler said he is planning on playing in a game with the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State's affiliate in the NBA minor league, as part of his rehabilitation process. "Well, y'all gonna get your opportunity come Santa Cruz," Butler told the Athletic. "Because I'm definitely coming down there to play. So good luck to everybody. Y'all ain't gonna get too many minutes out of me, but I'm definitely going down there. I want to hoop."Butler even acknowledged that there would be some who may not like the idea. Butler's agent Bernard Lee took to social media to voice his displeasure at Friedell for reporting the story."Nick…you had to give this table legs huh?" Lee wrote on X. "I'm going to hit you with one of them when I see you."Within the organization, the main person who would be against the idea is Mike Dunleavy, the Warriors general manager and Butler's former teammate with the Bulls. When Friedell asked Butler if he had cleared the plan with Dunleavy, Friedell wrote Butler's smile only got bigger before responding."I don't got to clear s-t with nobody," Butler said. "I'm going. Me and Mike will fistfight. He's gonna be like, ‘Jimmy, no.' I'm gonna be like, ‘Mike, yes. I'm going to G League, baby!' Y'all know where to find me. Santa Cruz, baby."One person who is clearly in favor of it, though, is Steve Kerr. In an interview with the Athletic in Houston on Wednesday, Kerr celebrated Butler's plans."I think it makes such perfect sense," Kerr said. "But most guys in the league in Jimmy's position are, like, too vain to do it - and Jimmy's the opposite. I think he would love giving the fans down there a great surprise. That's amazing. I love that."Kerr related the move to how MLB players do rehab assignments in that sport's minor leagues. But while that is quite common in baseball, there has rarely been an NBA player who has done so. Warriors stars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have both joined the "Sea Dubs" for practices during their recovery processes, but a star of Butler's stature has never played in a G League game.Kerr said if the Warriors schedule allows, he will be in the stands to watch Butler play in the G League. The Santa Cruz team plays their home opener Friday night and has home games all throughout December, when Butler might be getting close to ready to play."It may not be for long, but I'm going to play in Santa Cruz," Butler said. "I'm playing in a f-king game."More Warriors- Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is already sounding like a media star- Ex-Valkyries announcer reportedly fired over affair with ex-Dubs player's sister - Steve Kerr will return after weeks of uncertaintyFull Warriors coverageFor all of our Bay Area sports coverage, sign up for The Catch newsletter here.This article originally published at Warriors' Jimmy Butler is sending himself down to the G League for a game.